Ironing table



June 25, 1935. v, KELLE 2,005,976

I RoNING TABLE Filed Feb. 9, 1931 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 1m 25, 1935. KE LER2,005,976

- IRONING TABLE Filed Feb. 9, 1931 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 Patented June 25,1935 l l NITED STATES PATENT ()FFICE momma TABLE Henry V. Keller,Minneapolis, Minn. Application February a 1921, Serial No. 514,499

Claims. (on. 68-10) My present invention relates to ironing tables inthe forward ends of the upper braces are perof the type wherein theironing board proper is manently connected with the bottom of the boardprovided with folding or collapsible supporting by a toggle structureadapted to move past a mechanism attached to the under side thereon deadcenter position to lock the legs securely in 5 ready for use andcollapsible compactly for storplace when the device is set up andsimultane- 5 age or shipment. ously'tension the various braces for thelegs.

Ironing tables of this general class have been Still a further object isto provide an ironextensively utilized and for the most part have ingtable of the-typedescribed wherein the lower included a pair of rearlegs pivotallyconnected brace rods comprise integral elements or rods tothe under side of the board and a third or forplvotally connected attheir ends with the sup- 10 ward leg also pivoted to the board andinclined porting legs, the distance between the connected or obliquelydisposed when the device is set up for points being the same when thelegs are either use. Various bracing means have been utilized in t e apd et p po s thereby for strengthening the supporting mechanism viatingthe necessity for sectional brace rods or and reinforcing the legs,usually including dirods having slidable or telescopic connectionwith 5agonally disposed upper braces extending bethe legs. tween intermediatepoints of the rear legs and the These and other objects and advantagesof the medial portion of the board as well as lower brace nv nt n w l beul y t fo in the following wires or rods extending between the lower endof description made in connection with the accomthe forward leg andmedial points on the rear De y drawings, in Which k erence char- 20legs. acters refer to similar parts throughout the sev- In mostinstances the front and rear legs had erel Views, d in 2 to beindependently set up and the forward ends F 1 is a perspective View Ofan embodiment of the upper braces had to be attached to the of myinvention set up for u board or abutted against a cross piece on, theFig. 2 is a side elevation of the device in set 25 under side of theboard before the ironing table up position, the dotted lines indicatingt P could be utilized. Moreover, in such prior structi n of h upperbrace el pri r to p in tures it was found necessary to either constructdead center or looking pos the'lower brace rods of two folding sectionsor F e- 3 a cross section showingthe ructo make a, telescopic orslidable connection t tion of the braces and hinge elements for the rear30 one end of the rod with one of the legs, in either egs a d ta en 0the line of event weakening the lower braces and producing 4 S a C ossSection taken on the line 4-4 a tendency of the rods to buckle duringthe setof 2 showing'the hinge co nect on between ting up or collapsingof the device, the upper brace bars and the link plate;

It is an object of my present invention to pro- Fig. 5 is a bottom planview of the ironing table 35 vide an improved and comparativelyinexpensive in Collapsed Position, and collapsible ironing table havinga maximum Fig. 6 is a horizontal section taken on the line amount ofrigidity when in use, adapted to be 66 of Fig. 2. compactly folded forstorage or shipment and In the embodiment of the invention illustratedwherein the entire supporting structure is operin the drawings thenumeral 1 indicates the flat 40 atively and automatically set up orcollapsed by top or board of the table, which may be of the swinging anyone of the legs. All of the parts conventional shape used in ironingboards and. of the supporting structure are permanently having hingedlysecured to the rear end thereof connected to the board or other partsand conse--- the two rear legs 8 which are adapted to lie flush quentlythere is no possibility of the board acclagainst the bottom of the boardwhen the table 45 dentally collapsing when it has once been set up. iscollapsed and which are positioned slightly It is the further object ofmy invention to pro-- past vertical when the board is set up for usevide a light but extremely rigid collapsible ironwiththe outer endsthereof spread apart to a 7 ing table wherein the rear supporting legsare distance greater than the width of the board.

automatically spread apart at their outer ends The hinged ends of legs 8may have inner bev- 50 and firmly braced by the action of swinging anyeled surfaces 8a engaging the downturned hinge one of the legs from thecollapsed to the operaears 9aof transverse attachment bracket 9 whichtive position. is rigidly secured to the under side of the rear end Itis a more specific object to provide an imoi the board. A forward andlonger supporting proved ironing table of the class described wherelegin is hinged between attachment ears ll 55 are pivotally secured to arear and dependingbrace arm I3. The outer ends of toggle arms I2 arepivotally connected with short brace arms I20, which are rigidlyconnected to the legs 8 and which have turned abutment elements I2badapted to overlie the upper edges of toggle arms I2 and limit thespreading of the outer ends of the legs when the device is set up. Thedepending or rear brace arm I3'has a twisted upper end I3a which ishinged between angle attachment brackets I3b disposed a short distanceforwardly of attachment bracket 9 and centrally of the board.

Upper converging braces connect the medial portions of the rear legs 8with the medial portion of the board 'I and comprise a pair of di-.verging brace bars I4 pivotally connected at their lower ends to theirmer edges of legs 8 and hingedly connected at their upper andconverging ends to a link or looking plate I5, said'plate and said bracebars forming a toggle brac'e which passes the dead center position tolock the legs in set up position and to further tension the legs andbrace members. It will be noted that the .pivotal connection element'(see Fig. 6) upon which locking plate I5 is swingably mounted spans theforward extremities of the brace bars I4 and spaces these extremitiesapart in a predetermined relation. The forward end of plate I5 is hingedto a bracket 45 disposed some distance from the forward end of the boardand at the center of the under side thereof. The forward portions ofbrace bars I4 are connected by an abutment link Ida which is disposedrearwardly of the inclined forward leg iii in a position to engage andthrust against the same when the rear legs are swung in the direction ofthe board for collapsing the table.

A lower brace link connects the intermediate portions of the rear legs 8with the outer end of the forward or inclined leg and this brace maycomprise a pair of converging rods or wires I! having their rear endspivotally connected at Ila to the inner sides of legs 8 and having theirforward ends pivotally connected at ill) to the outer end of forward legI0. In the embodiment illustrated the two rods I! are formed from anintegral piece of wire bentinto the shape of a V, with the bent endpivoted in the notched portion of the forward portion of the leg 00.Cross pieces or abutment'members I8 are secured to the central portionof the bottom of the board and positioned to abut the forward ends ofupper brace bars it when the table is in set up position. These crosspieces are not -absolutely essential, but serve to increase the rigidityof the supporting structure. A locking arm is may be pivoted to theboard adjacent the link plate 55 adapted to underlie the plate and lockthe same in set up position.

The compact collapsed position of my table is illustrated in Fig. 5where it will be seen that the rear legs 8 are disposed substantiallyflush,

edgewise and parallel against the bottom of the board. The upper andlower braces as well as the back brace I3 are also disposedsubstantially flush with the board and it will be noted that the beveledinner engagement surfaces at the upper ends of the rear legs 8 aredisposed outwardly of the hinge ears 9a of the attachment bracket 9permitting the outer ends of the rear legs to be drawn inwardly by thecollapsing action of the toggle arms l2 connected with rear brace I3.

To set up my ironing table it is only necessary to swing any one of thesupporting legs outwardly from the board, the connections between thelegs, braces and the boardcausing all the parts to move in unison to theoperative position. The dead center relation of the upper bracecomprising brace bars I4 and link I5 may be so adjusted that the impetusof the swinging legs will automatically carry the brace past dead centerposition into the locked position shown in Fig. 2, thereby placingadditionaltension .upon the brace rods I1 and the legs 8 and I 0, or ifa maximum tension is desired the toggle pivot of the brace bars I4 andlink plate I5 may be adjusted so that some force would have to beexerted to lock the brace in place.

If the forward'leg I0 is swung to set up the board, movement will betransmitted to the rear legs and upper brace through the abutment linkMa, thus preventing buckling of the rods II. It will be noticed that asthe rear legs swing outwardly from theboard the connection of the rearbrace I3 with the toggle arms I2 causes the arms to be swung intosubstantial alignment, movement thereof being limited by the overlyingor turned abutment elements I2b.

If either of the rear legs is swung to set up the board, movement willbe transmitted tothe forward leg I0 through the engagement of abuttinglink Ha connected with the upper braces and the parts are swung inunison, as previously described. The swinging of the rear legs bringsthe A beveled. or inclined inner surfaces 80. into abutment with thehinge ears 9a. of the attachment bracket and thereby permits the outerends of the rear legs to be spread apart.

To my knowledgeli am the first to provide a the board andpositioning-the various pivots in the manner illustrated and describedthe attachment points H0. and Nb of the lower rods or braces may be thesame distance apart when the supporting-structure is in the collapsedand set up positions and further the forward ends of the brace bars i4may be permanently connected to the board to permit the entiresupporting structure to be automatically set up when any one of the legsis swung.

From the foregoing description it will be seen that I have provided asimple, extremely rigid collapsible ironing table adapted to be veryquickly and easily set up or collapsed and incapable of accidentaldisplacement or collapsing of the several parts of the supportingstructure when in use.

Attention is called to my improved bracing and hinge construction forthe rear legs. This construction is automatically operated by the swinging of any of the supporting legs and also effects the spreading of therear legs as the table is being set up. It moreover will be seen that inset up position the legs are rigidly held against both outward or inwarddisplacement by the toggle brace arms 12 connected with the rear braceI3.

It will, of course, be understood that various changes may be made inthe form, details, proportions and arrangement of the parts withoutdeparting from the scope of my invention, which, generally stated,consists in a device capable of carrying out the objects above setforth, and in the novel partsand combinations of parts disclosed anddefined in the appended claims.

What is claimed is:

1. In an ironing table, a top, a pair of rear legs pivoted to said topfor folding movement thereagainst, a forward leg pivoted to said topforwardly of said rear legs and inclined downwardly and forwardly whenthe device is set up, an upper brace connecting intermediate portions ofsaid rear legs with an intermediate portion of said top, said bracecomprising an elongated section pivoted to said rear legs and extendingtherefrom to said top when said table is set up and a relatively shortsection pivoted to said first men- I tioned section and non-slidablypivoted to said table, said short section lying against the top when thetable is set up and a pair of non-collapsible brace rods connecting.said forward leg with intermediate points on said rear legs.

2. In an ironing table, a top, a pair of rear legs pivoted to said topfor folding movement thereagainst, a, forward leg pivoted to said topforwardly of said rear legs and inclined forwardly and downwardly whenthe device is set up, an upper brace connecting intermediate portions ofsaid rear legs with an intermediate portion of said top, said bracecomprising a pair of brace elements, each pivotally connectedrespectively with one of said rear legs and extending therefrom to saidtop when said table is set up, said brace elements converging at theirforward ends and being pivotally connected with a relatively shortelement constituting a section of said brace, said short section beingpivoted to the top of said table and lying against said top when thetable is set up, and a bracing structure connecting said front leg withsaid rear legs.

3. In an ironing table, a top,'a pair of rear legs pivoted to said topfor folding movement thereagainst, a forward leg pivoted to said topforwardly of said rear legs and inclined forwardly and downwardly whenthe device is set up, an upper brace in the form of a two-section toggleconnecting intermediate portions of said rear legs with an intermediateportion of said top, one of said toggle sections comprising a pair offorwardly converging brace elements, each pivotally connectedrespectively with one of said rear legs and both extending from saidrear legs to said top when said table is set up, the second of saidtoggle sections constituting a relatively short rigid plate pivotedbetween the forward extremities of said converging brace elements andpivoted at its other end to said table top, the pivotal connectionsbetween said rigid plate and said brace elements holding said forwardextremities in predetermined spaced relation, said toggle braceconstruction being proportioned to pass a dead center relationship withreference to the pivotal connections of the toggle with the top and rearlegs when the table is set up; and bracing structure connectin saidfront leg with said rear legs.

4. In an ironing table, a top, a pair of rear legs pivoted to said topfor folding movement thereagainst, a forward leg pivoted to said topforwardly of said rear legs and also foldable against said top, andextending in inclined relation to said top forwardly and downwardly whenthe device is set up, an upper brace connecting the intermediateportions of said rear legs with the intermediate portion of said top andcomprising a twosection toggle construction having an elongated sectionformed of two forwardly converging members each pivotally connectedrespectively with one of said rear legs and extending therefrom to saidtop when said table is set up and havinga short section pivoted to saidelongated section at the forward end of the latter and also pivoted tosaid table, said forward leg being disposed between said convergingbrace members, bracing structure connecting said front leg with saidrear legs to cause all of said legs to swing in unison after said rearlegs have swung a predetermined 1 distance, connections between saidrear legs and said top for automatically expanding the free ends of saidrear legs when they are swung outwardly into operative position, thepoint of said connections with said top being offset with respect to aline joining the pivot points of said rear legs and an abutment elementtraversing said converging brace members adjacent their forward ends anddisposed below said forward leg when the table is collapsed and inposition to be engaged by said front leg in the initial swingingmovement of the front leg from collapsed position to thereby transmitinitial swinging movement to said rear legs through said upper brace, toswing said rear legs through said predetermined distance. I

' 5. In an ironing table, a top, a pair of rear legs pivoted to said topforfolding movement thereagainst, a forward leg pivoted to said topforwardly of said rear legs and also foldable against said top, an upperbrace connecting intermediate portions of said rear legs with said top,said brace comprising an elongated section pivoted to said rearlegs andextending therefrom to said top when said table is set up, and arelatively short section pivoted to said first mentioned section andnon-slidably pivoted to said table, said short section lying against thetop when the table is set up, means including a bracing structureconnecting said front legwith said rear legs to cause said rear legs toswing in unison with said front leg when the latter is swung, andconnections between said rear legs and said top for automaticallyexpanding the free endsof said rear legs whenever said front leg isswung into operative position, the point of said connections with saidtop being offset with respect to a line joining the pivot points of saidrear legs.

HENRY V. KELLER.

